His actions… it was a pyrrhic victory, killing eight hundred enemies at the cost of a thousand of his own. Sentencing for the crime of concealing criminal proceeds and their earnings is generally lenient. He had done everything he could, yet only managed to secure Xiang Wanbin a sentence of six to seven years. Meanwhile, he himself… was facing more than a decade! Chang Yingcai was, of course, implicated as well.

"Are you sure?" Zhang Wei furrowed his brows and asked again.

At this point, he had given up hope of a reduced sentence. This was the first case he had ever encountered where the client was determined to receive a harsher sentence. Not even the most skilled lawyer could successfully defend such a case. Therefore, he could only respect the client's wishes and do his best to fulfill their "demands."

Niu Huan nodded. "I'm sure. Just pile all the blame you can onto me. As for the embezzlement charge…" He paused and shook his head. "There's no need to defend against that; the sentence is too light." His face was full of disdain.

Zhang Wei was at a loss for words. Looking at Niu Huan, his heart was a maelstrom of emotions. In all his years as a lawyer, Niu Huan was the first defendant he had met who faced his charges with such composure. He even complained that the punishment was too light!

But within that calm demeanor… there was an indescribable sorrow.

He had struggled his entire life. His wife had an affair, and the child she bore might not even be his… Moreover, the man she had an affair with was his good brother!

Clearly, there was nothing left for him to cherish outside of prison. That was why he was so composed. For him, there was no longer any difference between being inside or outside prison.

「Courtroom No. 5 Detention Room.」

After speaking with Niu Huan, Zhang Wei once again stood before Xiang Wanbin.

"Lawyer Zhang, Lawyer Zhang, you have to help me! I don't want an increased sentence…" Upon seeing him, Xiang Wanbin's face tensed, and he urgently pleaded, "That guy Niu Huan is crazy! The prosecutors hadn't even found anything, but he insisted on confessing, dragging the three of us down with him!"

"Lawyer Zhang, you're my defense lawyer, you have to help me…"

After the court recessed, he had been detained in Detention Room No. 5. Inside the courthouse, there were also temporary holding cells for defendants awaiting trial. Though called a detention room, it was much like a prison cell, with iron bars on the outside and only two chairs inside.

"Niu Huan insists on a harsher sentence; there's nothing I can do," Zhang Wei said, looking deeply at Xiang Wanbin. He took a deep breath. As the defense attorney for all three, he now found himself in a very difficult position. Two of the defendants were at each other's throats: Niu Huan was determined to increase his sentence, while Xiang Wanbin wanted to reduce his.

Xiang Wanbin was stunned for a moment. He quickly said, "Lawyer Zhang, you don't believe what Niu Huan said, do you? There's nothing between his wife and me; we're innocent! This is purely him going mad. I don't know what bastard has been feeding him those vicious rumors."

"Lawyer Zhang, you have to believe me! How could I possibly get involved with my sister-in-law…"

Several dark lines appeared on Zhang Wei's forehead, and the corner of his mouth twitched. Forcing himself to remain calm, he said, "I don't care about your personal grievances. Regarding this case… I will respect the wishes of both parties."

"If you have any requests for your defense, you can tell me."

Xiang Wanbin persistently denied everything. Yet, Xiang Wanbin's wife and Niu Huan were absolutely certain.

There's no smoke without fire. Niu Huan wouldn't have suddenly lost all will to live over some mere gossip. There must be many hidden details he didn't know. But as the defense attorney for both, he had to consider both their wishes.

"I… I request a reduced sentence, the maximum possible reduction!" Xiang Wanbin hurriedly said upon hearing this.

Zhang Wei nodded. "Rest assured, I will continue to work on your defense for a reduced sentence."

"Then… how many years will I get?" Xiang Wanbin swallowed nervously, unable to stop himself from asking.

Zhang Wei frowned. In a grave voice, he said, "Your crime is concealing criminal proceeds and their earnings. The sentence will depend on the principal offense. Theoretically, the more Niu Huan is sentenced for, the more you'll get."

"I can only tell you that a sentence of less than three years is no longer applicable to this crime."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiang Wanbin looked as if he'd been struck by lightning. His reaction was strikingly similar to Niu Huan's seven days prior.

Seeing him in a daze, Zhang Wei shook his head slightly and left Detention Room No. 5. He prepared to go to Chang Yingcai's detention room to discuss the allocation of criminal responsibility between Niu Huan and Chang Yingcai.

「Jin City. Nursing Home.」

After the trial ended, Qin Mu took Zhang Qingyuan and the others back to the nursing home.

Along the way, Zhang Qingyuan, Li Weiguo, and the others discussed the case's progress.

"From the look in Niu Huan's eyes in court, it seemed like he wanted to kill someone. Is he insisting on a harsher sentence because he's afraid he'll lose control?"

"After so many criminal cases, Niu Huan is the first defendant I've felt sympathy for."

"He's a man of intense feeling, alright, but his theft of spare parts and the damage to others' property and vehicles can't just be wiped away."

"Things in this world are far from being simple black and white."

"…"

The conversation shifted from the case to Niu Huan. They deeply sympathized with Niu Huan's plight. If they were in his shoes, they might have started a fight right there in court. But Niu Huan had chosen another path—to kill eight hundred enemies even if it cost him a thousand of his own! He was also the first defendant to actively request a harsher sentence!

Qin Mu listened to Old Zhang and the others' discussion the whole way, feeling somewhat wistful himself. He had seen many defendants try to absolve themselves in court, but this was indeed the first time he had encountered someone like Niu Huan.

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